A Day in My Life: Learn How Chefs Spend Their Time

If you have only chefs making beautiful dishes on TV, you probably believe that it is one of the most glamorous careers of them all. After all, who wouldn’t want to be around delicious food day in and day out? However, my life is a little different from what you all may assume. There is delicious food everywhere, but there is a lot more work too. Take a sneak peek into my life.

Morning agenda

The first thing on my mind when I arrive at the restaurant is to take inventory of the produce and check if deliveries are on time. I also check if the produce in the pantry is fresh. If any foods, condiments, etc. are nearing the expiry date, I prefer to use them first, but if the expiry date is too near, I discard the items. As the other staff begins to arrive, my job is to ensure that everyone has a job to do, starting with basic chopping and slicing of vegetables and preparing dishes ahead of time, especially if they take longer to cook.

Afternoon agenda

People start arriving for lunch by 11:30 am, and this is the time when the entire staff is ready to serve people. We have everything sorted out, and people get what they want. I personally taste all the dishes before sending them out and fill in the gaps if the taste is not up to the mark.

Most beverage distributers make their deliveries during this time. So, I have to check everything. The staff usually has lunch together. If someone has created a new dish, it will be sampled by all. We also cater to some people who arrive late for lunch in the meanwhile.

Evening agenda

By 5 pm, we start seeing people who have just come around for a snack or a light meal. While preparing fresh food for them, the staff is busy in getting food ready for dinner. This is usually the busiest time of the day and activity starts soaring around 6 pm.

The rush is high, and people need their dinners quickly. The staff has to work at top speed to deliver everything and ensure that nothing gets screwed. We also have to ensure that things are cooked as per directives by the customers. As a chef, I have to manage the rest of the staff to ensure that everything is perfect.

Late night agenda

Once the diners have gone, it is time for the staff to clean the kitchen up and plan things for tomorrow. I have to place orders for produce as well as beverages for the next day. This helps in running the restaurant smoothly and ensuring that there are no troubles whatsoever.

By now, you must have realized that being a chef isn’t easy and is definitely not glamorous. Still, I love my job. When diners send compliments back to the kitchen and go home satisfied, I feel good too. This is what brings fulfillment to my life.